The Damned at the Cheese & Grain

The Damned are an English gothic punk band with a fairly lengthy history, and will be performing at the Cheese & Grain on Friday 5th June.

Formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist (and later guitarist) Captain Sensible, and drummer Rat Scabies, they were the first punk rock band from the United Kingdom to release a single, ‘New Rose’ (1976), release an album, ‘Damned Damned Damned’ (1977), and tour the United States. They have nine singles that charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.

The band briefly broke up after ‘Music for Pleasure’ (1977), the follow up to their debut album, was critically dismissed. They quickly reformed without Brian James, and would release ‘Machine Gun Etiquette’ (1979).

By the 1980s, they evolved into one of the forerunners of the gothic rock genre. That decade they released four studio albums, ‘The Black Album’ (1980), ‘Strawberries’ (1982), ‘Phantasmagoria’ (1985), and ‘Anything’ (1986). The latter two albums did not feature Captain Sensible, who had left the band in 1984.

In 1988, Brian James and Captain Sensible rejoined to play what was said to be The Damned’s final live show. This was released the next year as the live album ‘Final Damnation’.

The Damned would again reform for a tour in 1991. In 1995, they released a new album, ‘Not of This Earth’, which would be Rat Scabies last with the band. This was followed by ‘Grave Disorder’ (2001), and ‘So, Who’s Paranoid?’ (2008).

Despite going through numerous lineup changes, the current formation of Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, keyboardist Monty Oxymoron, drummer Pinch and bassist Stu West, have been together since 2004.

The Damned will be at the Cheese & Grain on Friday 5th June, tickets £20.00.

Box Office: office@cheeseandgrain.com – tel: 01373 455420 – www.cheeseandgrain.com

Tickets also available from Raves from the Grave, tel: 01373 464666.